Cheshire Gardens. Adlington Hall

The Gardens

A rich variety of natural and man-made features combined in an oasis of tranquility.

The gardens are believed to have been landscaped by Charles Legh in the middle of the 18th century in the style of Capability Brown. Only a little of this survives today, but the paintings of Thomas Bardwell give an inpression of how the gardens must have looked. To the south is a lawn beyond which are the iron gates that mark the entrance to the Lime Avenue and the Wilderness. The Wilderness is planted with a rich variety of trees from the more common oaks, yews and beeches to the rarer cedars of Lebanon, redwoods and hornbeams. The Lime Avenue itself was planted in celebration of the Monarchy in 1688, as an inscription on the entrance gate shows, while the area also features a Yew Walk which was originally planted in 1650. Most of the trees were planted in the middle of the 18th century. Several Victorian additions include monkey puzzles and rhododendrons.

A number of the original features survive. The Shell Cottage, for instance, so named because its internal walls are covered in shells, pebbles and bands of coloured mirrors. The Chinese bridge across the River Dean still survives, although the Chinese summerhouse which once occupied the central platform is long gone. On the west side of the Wilderness is the Temple to Diana - a domed, circular temple folly.

Other structures which have survived include the T'ing House, a square brick pavillion with chinoiserie style black and white timberwork and the Rathouse, a roofless brick structure with small gothic windows.

Although the gardens have a rich history, they are constantly being developed with new attractions. For instance, the Laburnum Arcade which features six sets of gothic style arches spanning a wide path. These make impressive architectural features and creates a grand entrance to the Rose Garden.

The Rose Garden itself offers a feast of colour; beauty and fragrance all summer long with its formal rose beds planted with individual varieties of roses. Rambler roses climb the pillars and rope swags that frame the garden with a gazebo centrepiece, providing a tranquil seating area.

Beyond the Rose Garden is a maze of English yew planted in 1996. It offers a real challenge for both adults and children to find the unicorn at the centre. Another popular attraction is the Father Tiber garden. Father Tiber, who takes his name from Tiberinus, was a Roman river god, so the garden was developed with a water theme featuring ponds, fountains, rills and a water cascade.

The walled garden to the south of the Hall is still in use. At the south east corner is the Jupiter House, built around 1760. To the south west is a former deer park in which can be seen the remains of a brick castle folly.